How We All Met
by Gen Rhapsodos
Summary: DISCONTINUED. In a twist of fate, Rynn Rosehart meets a mysterious thief known as Shego. What happens when a powerful villain arises and they have no choice but to fight side by side? What will be the next step in their relationship?
1. Meet the Thief

"**How We All Met"**

_Chapter 1: Meet The Thief_

_Inspired by: Protection by Shadowed One (KiGo)_

_Dedicated to: Elisabeth H., Vanessa V. & Nicole C. _

Shego sat upon her signature black-and-green Kawasaki Ninja and buckled on her riding helmet, sliding down its tinted shades to cover her eyes. She jump-started the crotch-rocket with the heel of her boot. Its powerful engines roared to life beneath her as she revved it.

The opulent woman turned many heads with her jaw-dropping appearance. She wore a black racing suit that perfectly fitted her distinguishing curves and on top of the tight suit, the sexy thief wore a black leather designer-made jacket.

"Hey, nice bike!" a man called out to her from across the street.

Ignoring the curious onlookers, Shego did a 180 degree burn-out and sped off down the road with no particular destination in mind. It was just her and the runway. Since the villainess was no longer employed to Drakken, she felt obligated to celebrate but there was an assignment she had to initially complete.

Global Justice avowed that they would drop every sentence, charge, and case against her involving her criminal activities. Plus, as a munificent bonus, they'd pay her an additional $500 grand to capture a person of interest.

This seemed easy enough for her.

"Alright Director, send me the coordinates to her exact location and make it snappy," the green-skinned thief demanded to a middle-aged woman with short russet hair who appeared on the screen of her Blackberry.

Betty Director gazed out at Shego with her with her one good eye and smiled.

"First, Miss Go, if I may call you...You must capture this girl _unharmed_—" the GJ agent emphasized. The ex-hero rolled her eyes at this. "—and bring her back here to headquarters. Bear in mind that it is crucial you keep your cover."

"Fine. Just be sure to keep your part of the bargain, 'umkay?" Shego replied dangerously, "Cause if you screw me over I'll—"

"You'll what?" Betty interrupted in a cool tone.

"I'll fry your superior ass that's what!" the notorious woman yelled into the mouthpiece, mainly because she believed it was necessary and she wanted to get this vexing task over and done with. She was wasting valuable time doing this when she could have been sunbathing on a beach and drinking martinis.

Betty was wordless after the outburst then she recovered her voice. "It's nice to see you're not still working for that dunce. Perhaps you should reconsider joining the heroes again," she said.

The thief turned at an intersection and lightly squeezed the throttle to maintain the required speed limit.

_No use attracting the cops when they're already on the lookout for me..._

"If you're referring to my dim-witted brothers," the villainess said disdainfully, frowning, "I'll go back to them when hell freezes over."

"I wouldn't expect more from you Shego."

"The coordinates?"

"Currently being sent to your GPS. Now it's all up to you. Good luck..." were the agent's last words.

The thief hastily stuffed the phone in the pocket of her jacket and zig-zagged her way around the slower traffic ahead, receiving honks when she switched lanes and cut in front of a mini-van that was practically crawling along the runway.

"...Not gonna need luck..." the helmeted felon muttered to herself, flicking on the GPS unit on her bike petulantly. A red dot blinked on the grid. "You must be quite the character if Global Justice is sending me to get you." Shego shifted gears and raced toward the mysterious dot.

Rynn Rosehart entered the café with an air of exuberance. Sighing contently, she sat down in a solitary corner near the windows and unzipped her cloak halfway. A cute young waitress with strawberry blonde hair and bright blue eyes came to take her order.

"Would you like the usual, ma'am?"

"Yes, thank-you," the elf replied politely, giving her a kind smile.

"Coming right up." The waitress winked and hurried off to the kitchen.

Rynn locked her fingers behind her head and dozed for a few minutes until the girl returned with a cup of steaming tea and a plate stacked high with chocolate-chip cookies.

"Will that be all?"

"Yup, thanks again Marina."

The pretty youth beamed at her, cheeks turning pink. "No problem."

A chubby man at the front counter dinged the service bell impatiently, causing Marina to jump and Rynn to snort in amusement.

"Better go get that guy over there some donuts before he throws a tantrum," Rynn joked.

The teen gave her a timid wave before dashing off again. The silver-haired woman shook her head, chuckling.

After sipping her tea, Rynn took a cookie from the plate in front of her and bit into it. It was warm and tasted delicious. "_Mmm_…"

Within minutes, the plate was cleared, save the crumbs. Rynn licked her lips and glanced up absentmindedly as a tall woman sporting a black leather jacket walked in through the door.

The woman had long ebony hair that cascaded down her shoulders, a lean build, and wore a pair of Oakley sunglasses. Rynn tried to get a better look at this eccentric biker's face but she had the collar of her jacket pulled up conspicuously.

She seated herself two tables across from Rynn. The elf couldn't help but stare as the shady stranger took off her glasses and drew the jacket collar down from her face.

Rynn was rendered speechless by this woman's beauty and she gawked for a good five minutes. Suddenly, the gorgeous biker gazed directly at her though thick eyelashes. Their eyes met and Rynn felt her whole face grow hot. She ducked low and smacked her forehead off the marble table-top. But the woman's expression hadn't been unfriendly, only mildly curious.

"Oww..." _That was embarrassing._

Gathering her wits, Rynn snuck a quick peek at the raven-haired beauty. She still had her eyes fixed calmly on the elf.

_They're so…green_, she thought dreamily, forgetting the pain in her forehead and cupping her cheek in her hand.

Then the beautiful stranger hastily pulled up her collar and broke eye contact. Rynn soon realized why.

"What can I get you today miss?" Marina asked cheerfully, smiling at the mystifying woman, who was drumming her fingers on the table and leaning back casually in her chair.

Rynn leaned forward on her elbows, wanting to eavesdrop without making her intentions too transparent. Elves had excellent hearing and she made good use of her ears from time to time.

"I'll have hot chocolate topped with whipped cream and sprinkles," she stated softly. Her voice had a noticeable cadence that didn't seem to hold any emotion and Rynn could tell right away that it charmed the teen.

"W-Will that be everything?"

The jacket-clad female appeared not to have noticed her stutter. "Yes."

"Um, are you well miss? You look a bit pale—"

The biker had seized Marina's wrist so fast Rynn hadn't seen her move.

"I'm sorry!" the adolescent cried, startled by the green-eyed woman's unexpected hostility.

"Need I inform you that unwanted physical contact and staring is considered rude?" she said relentlessly.

"L-Let me go…" Marina pulled her arm from the woman's grasp and rubbed her wrist.

Rynn rose to her feet and was about to open her mouth to defend the helpless girl when a man with a frizzy, greying beard and an unusually large jaw advanced on the pair, his facial expression angry.

Rynn guessed he was the manager by glimpsing at the name-tag on his shirt. The place was named _Lorenzo's Café_ and the white tag cleared stated that this man was Lorenzo.

"What seems to be the problem here?" he asked, eyes darting to the beautiful biker suspiciously then to his shaken employee.

"Umm, I noticed this woman has..." Marina stopped and did not continue her elucidation.

The manager frowned. To the mysterious biker he said in an edgy voice, "I will not have customers harass my employees. Please do kindly and leave now."

"Tch, tch..." she clicked her tongue, then flashed a dazzling grin at Rynn. The elf blushed. "And before I do that, I have some business to attend to here." She shuffled past the twitching man and made for Rynn.

"Get out of my store or I won't hesitate to contact the authorities!" he bellowed, boiling with rage and balling his hands into fists.

The green-eyed female ignored him. Nervously, Rynn backed up against the window, never taking her eyes off the approaching biker who was now only a few feet away from her and getting closer.

_Crash!_ The window shattered and glass flew in all directions. The elf dove to avoid the deadly shards and rolled. A jump-suited man with a cocked assault rifle in his hands stepped through the smashed windowpane and took aim at Rynn.

The biker, with acrobatic grace and speed, leapt over the furniture separating her and the silver-haired elf and slid across the polished floor at the last second. She knocked over a table and threw it in front of Rynn just as the intruder unleashed a round of bullets.

The blockade served its purpose and shielded them both. Rynn found herself pressed against the wall and her bold protector, making any movement nearly impossible.

"Shit." Shego sucked in a breath before checking her charge over for injuries. "You okay?"

"I-I think so." The thief instructed her to stay low to the ground and crawled away.

"Come out and play. Hahaha!" the armed man taunted and slapped a full clip into his gun. Shego recognized him as a HenchCo. goon. She stood, her hands bursting in green flames, and shot a concentrated blast of plasma at him. He stumbled backwards, thrown off-guard by her attack.

Shego hurled herself at her foe with all the force she could muster in her legs and tackled him into an adjacent wall, making a huge hole in the plaster and they fell completely through it.

"Wench!" her bulky foe grunted, crashing down to the debri-covered floor with the ebony-haired villainess on top of him. He thrashed about to throw her off and attempted to reach out for his fallen gun with frantic fingers. Shego was stronger than he was and she knew it.

Rynn saw her opportunity to escape. She cast a fleeting look over her shoulder at the combating thief before jumping out the window and running at full speed down the street.

Shego was getting aggravated with her unyielding opponent. After a few minutes of struggling, he managed to dislodge her and snatch up his weapon. She stared at him with a dull expression, crossing her arms over her chest and tilting her head to the side.

"Watcha gonna do with that gun? Shoot me?" she mocked.

The goon wiped beads of sweat from his forehead. Slowly, he lifted the gun until it was level with her shoulders, his hands shaking.

"My orders were to kill anyone who gets in my way…" he replied in an unsteady voice, breathing hard.

The raven-haired beauty took one careful step toward him. He reached for the trigger then howled in pain as she launched a powerful kick and sent the rifle flying out of his grasp. Shego ignited her powers and clouted him remorselessly onside the head. He hit the floor like a sack of potatoes and moved no more.

_Determined bastard…_

Marina and her boss decided it was safe to escape from the trashed café and fled. Shego needed to leave the scene before the police showed up and take her charge with her. She scanned the room anxiously. The girl was gone.

"Where the hell did she go?!"

_Fuck, she must have snuck away while I was fighting! _

Shego kicked the goon's unconscious body in anger. _She could be far away from here by now_, she contemplated. _She can run, but she can't hide._

She knew this, of course, was inevitable. _What if they find her before I do? Bye-bye $500 grand..._

This assignment was taking a turn for the worst and the ex-hero had a funny feeling that the Director hadn't told her everything there was to be aware of about this odd girl.

She seemed as defenseless as a kitten! Was this some kind of joke? Shego silently fumed, turning on the heels of her boots and striding to her parked Kawasaki just as a squad of police cars with their boisterous sirens screeched in around the bend.

Rynn was wheezing by the time she came to a halt in an empty alley two blocks away from the café, leaning against the brick wall and gulping in mouthfuls of air.

_I have no frikkin' idea what just happened back there, but clearly I'm wanted by that woman with the flaming green hands. Man that was so intense, _she reflected, running a hand through her silver hair and heaving a sigh.

Rynn sensed she was being followed and decided to keep moving.

"This will lose 'em…" the elf muttered, sprinting down the alleyway and turning a few corners.

Motorcycle engines roared behind her abruptly and she felt a strong hand seize the back of her cloak and raise her up off the ground. Being suspended in mid-air left her arms and legs free, she realized.

Shego was straining to hold on to the elf while navigating her bike through the narrow pathway.

"Keep still will ya?" the thief grunted. Rynn obeyed, altering her intentions of lashing out at her captor.

_Maybe she's only trying to save me from more of those guys._

Shego slowed the bike down then came to a complete stop. Rynn was released. She stood there and stared questioningly until the villainess spoke up.

"Get on. There'll be more HenchCo. agents pursing us if we don't get out of here now," she explained, gazing indifferently at the elf through her helmet shades. Rynn gazed back at her rescuer, feeling uneasy.

"So you're _not_ trying to kill me?" The question sounded foolish when it came out of her mouth.

"No, but you're not making my job any easier," Shego replied evenly, shifting her weight on the bike and stretching out her arm to relax her stiff muscles. Rynn continued to somberly study the ebony-haired woman, crossing her arms.

"Who are you?"

The thief groaned and impatiently revved the idling Kawasaki. "There's no time for questions! Get on the damn motorcycle and stop that useless blabbering," she snapped, "My patience is running thin."

Rynn scoffed, glaring daggers at her. "Don't order me around," she growled.

"This is entirely your fault..." the plasma-wielding woman sighed. She got up off her bike.

"What're you—?" Shego had picked her up in true fireman fashion and hoisted her over the bike's seat before hopping on again and kicking up the kick-stand.

"Hey! That was rude!" Rynn grumbled, sitting upright and placing both feet on the back pegs of the bike.

"You might wanna hold onto me."

"Huh?"

Shego twisted the gas bar. The powerful bike sharply lurched forward. The elf hit her head off the thief's shoulder and moaned in pain. Stars danced hazily in front of her eyes.

"You gotta be kidding me."

Shego managed to grasp Rynn's arm before she ended up toppling over off the bike.

The villainess revved and this time Rynn made sure to hold on. It felt awkward to wrap her arms around this beautiful stranger but in an odd way, it was gratifying.

The raven-haired beauty wove effortlessly through the late afternoon traffic. She mentally slapped herself for not taking a back road instead. The HenchCo. agents would surely spot them anytime now...

"What's your name?" Rynn suddenly asked in a soft voice.

"Shego," was the curt reply. She didn't bother asking the same question.

"Rynn Rosehart. Um, where exactly are we headed Shego?"

She supposed the girl had the right to know. "Global Justice headquarters."

"Why?"

"No more questions okay?"

"_Why?" _she insisted tenaciously, lifting her cheek from the thief's back and scowling. Her arms involuntarily tightened around the older woman's torso. Shego stiffened.

"Why are you so persistent?" she shot back moodily.

"Fine, don't tell me then."

Shego sighed in exasperation and gripped the handlebars, feeling immensely annoyed with the elf. "I don't know. Why don't you ask the Director when you get there? _Hmm?_"

Rynn brooded for the remainder of the ride, mumbling indistinctly under her breath.

Fifteen minutes later…

The thief parked her Kawasaki near the front doors of the sumptuous-looking corporation known as Global Justice and turned off the engines of her prized bike. She rocked forward, expecting the elf to release her hold.

Rynn didn't budge an inch. _Don't tell me she fell asleep. _"You awake Rynn? We're here," Shego declared gruffly, pulling off her riding gloves—which effectively dampened her powers and made the material less likely to be burned off if she ignited her hands—and stuffing them inside her jacket .

The elf let her arms drop and sat up straight, face slightly flushed from being in close contact with the raven-haired beauty. She decided not to comment on Shego's abnormal body warmth.

"If...If I go with you," Rynn hesitated and bit her lip.

"I'm guessing you've realized who I am huh?" the villainess chuckled, standing up and taking off her helmet. She shook out her long black hair.

"Y-Yes. What I'm asking is...May I become your devoted follower?"

The green-eyed woman blinked, her pale, beautiful face scrunching up in confusion. "Care to elaborate on that?"

"You want supremacy over the world right? Cause I'd like to help—" Rynn broke off, taken aback by the thief's unanticipated laughter.

"Hahaha! Oh please, I can do that just fine without 'followers'!" she exclaimed, making air quotes with her fingers on the last word. But Rynn wasn't laughing.

"Would it help if I said I would carry out your every demand?"

Shego shook her head and wiped a tear from her eye. "Come on. I want to collect my prize money."

"Pretty please?" Rynn batted her eyelashes.

Shego remained adamant. "If you feel you owe me for saving your ass, don't worry about it. $500 grand will do just fine." The elf noticed the gleam in her emerald-green eyes and raised her eyebrows.

"I thought you were a millionaire."

"I am," she affirmed with an unconcerned shrug of her shoulders.

"Well could you reconsider? Pleeeaseee?"

Shego placed her hands on her hips and issued an irritated sigh. "If it'll shut ya up."

Rynn beamed at this. _Greeeat, another fangirl…_the green-skinned villainess thought.

"Oh thank you!" The elf excitedly glomped her and turned pink when Shego warily pushed her away.

"No hugging," she told her new companion firmly, "I don't do hugs, cuddling, or anything of that sort."

"Alright. Lead the way…"

The notorious thief gave her a strange look. Rynn's face grew hot in embarrassment. Shego rolled her eyes and sauntered toward GJ headquarters to claim her compensation.

"Sign here, here, and here," Betty Director instructed. She was pointing to the confidential papers Shego was to sign. The thief scribbled the initials 'S.N.G.' to where the agent indicated with a ball-point pen.

Rynn folded her arms across her chest, tapping her foot restlessly.

"What am I here for?"

Betty gave a light chuckle and pointed. "That amulet around your neck is what we require Miss Rosehart. But I'm afraid I cannot tell you why. It is top secret."

The silver-haired female shrugged and took the amethyst gemstone from around her neck. "It's an ancient family heirloom. But I don't see why it's so significant to you," she admitted, handing over the necklace.

Shego snorted. "Probably worth billions I presume. Why else could Global Justice possibly want it for?" She said the name with distaste. She looked at her fingernails, bored.

"Alrighty then Director, my job is finished here so…adios." Betty nodded and the villainess turned abruptly to leave.

"Shego?" Rynn stared down at the polished floor of Betty's office and scuffed her foot timidly. The raven-haired beauty paused, back still to her ex-charge.

"There will be terms and conditions…" she stated finally. The GJ agent smiled fervently.

"I see you've made a new friend."

"Can it one-eye."

Rynn giggled, gave Betty a wave, and followed closely behind the ex-hero as she made her departure.

Betty Director examined the amulet then carefully placed it in a metal box with foam padding. "If it fell ever into the wrong hands...there would be chaos," she murmured after their fading figures from the door of her office.

_**To be continued…**_

_**Author's notes: I realize that Shego was a bit OOC. She may have seemed different from how you've seen her in Kim Possible. (She's more nice but still sarcastic). But the reason being is that I've actually had the chance to role-play with her for a few months on YouTube and that's how she pretty much was. So I decided to stick with that persona. I'd say she's changed a lot since then.**_

_**This chapter may have been relatively short but it's going to get better and longer. I just need to work on the plot and where I want to go with it. This is, of course, going to take some time so be patient with me. Thanks for reading!**_

_**Next chapter: Shego and Rynn grow closer and Shay is introduced.**_


	2. Perilous Collaboration

_Chapter 2: Perilous Collaboration_

_Two months later…_

Shego was lazily dozing in the late afternoon sun when she got the feeling someone was watching her. She opened an eye. Sure enough, Rynn was ogling at the bikini-clad thief in a distant, dreamy way. Her mouth was hanging open slightly and she had such a dopey expression on her face that Shego had to laugh.

"See somethin' ya like?"

Rynn quickly averted her eyes, cheeks reddening from embarrassment. "Um, sorry…"

The green-skinned villainess propped herself up on her elbows and shifted into a more comfortable position on the recliner. "Do me a favour and rub some of that lotion on my back," Shego said. She laid down flat on her stomach and glanced at the puzzled elf earnestly.

Rynn obliged and picked up the bottle, squirting the cream into one of her palms. Vigilantly, she spread it along the older woman's back. Shego shuddered when the cold lotion came in contact with her skin.

"How's this?" The elf kneaded her thumbs between the thief's shoulder blades in gentle, circular motions.

"Heavenly," the raven-haired beauty murmured, closing her eyes. Rynn stiffened when Shego issued a low moan as she reached a pressure point on her lower back. "Keep going…"

She carried on with the massage, finding that she was enjoying it as much as the ex-hero was. After a few minutes, Shego moved her long ebony hair to the side and to the silver-haired elf's surprise, unhooked her bikini top.

"I hate tan lines," she explained coolly.

_It's amazing how soft her skin is…Gah! Why am I thinking these things about her?_

Intrigued, she trailed her fingers down Shego's bare neck and traced the muscular contours of her shoulders. She liked how the villainess' slim body curved in all the right places.

"Rynn…_Rynn Rosehart_…"

The elf snapped out of her reverie to find the pale-green thief watching her with a raised eyebrow. "I'm going for a swim...Wanna join me?" Shego sat upright and adjusted her bikini top.

"No thanks," Rynn replied, scratching her cheek. "I can't really swim. Plus I don't have a bathing suit with me—"

"So? Strip down to your underwear or go nude. That's what I did back on my last trip to Miami...Though it didn't seem like such a smart idea when a bunch of high-school jocks started taking pictures of me. The sick, twisted perverts." She scowled at the memory.

Rynn giggled, picturing the outcome. "Did you kick their asses?" she asked, grinning.

Shego grinned back. "Oh you bet," she said, "They needed a lot of Polysporin after I was finished with them. And one of Dr. D's henchmen stole some of the photos and plastered them over Villainess Weekly's website," the thief explained with a disgruntled snort. "I was so pissed that I threatened to quit working for the dolt. That threw him right off the tracks..."

"What happened then?" Rynn leaned forward, captivated.

Shego gave a nonchalant shrug. She stood and glanced off at the sparkling cerulean water before them.

"He pleaded with me then increased my pay. It seemed adequate enough for me so I accepted."

"Ah." Rynn wondered if the pictures were still up on the Internet. Maybe not.

"I take it I haven't changed your mind?" Shego smirked, placing her hands on her hips and facing her companion.

"Well..."

"Come on, don't be such a kill-joy and have some fun." The plasma-wielding villainess took hold of her wrist and pulled her to the water.

"It's warm," Rynn acknowledged. She stood up to her knees in the water, watching the waves splash against her legs. Shego dove under and resurfaced her skin and hair glistening in the sunlight.

The silver-haired elf thought she looked like a model from a swim-suit magazine and realised she was staring at the gorgeous thief longer than necessary.

"I'm beginning to think you have a crush on me princess." Shego winked at her. "But I must say I'm not shocked that you swing that way."

Rynn's face was on fire. _She gave me a pet name! _"O-Of course I don't," she lied lamely.

"Huh. Now _that_ I'm not buyin'," the notorious woman mused, her smirk reappearing.

"It's true."

"Uh-huh…" Then, out of nowhere, Shego frivolously kissed her on the cheek and pulled back. "See? Ya turn as red as a tomato!"

Rynn turned away to hide her massive blush. "Shuddup," she mumbled, her skin tingling where Shego's lips had been moments before. The pale-green thief laughed, her voice filled with mirth.

"You're in denial princess," she said teasingly.

Rynn didn't see a way out of her discomfited position and settled on giving in. "Okay fine! I confess that I'm into women. Happy?"

"Relatively."

"I'm gonna go find some food now," Rynn announced, sucking in a deep breath and walking back to the beach.

"...I heard there's a spring-fling party later that a bunch of college kids are throwing. I've been thinking about going...Wanna be my date?"

The elf stopped, biting her lip_. She's asking me on a date! Okay, calm down now…Play it cool._

"Sure, I would be delighted to go with you." The thief nodded, pleased.

"Out of curiosity…How many shots can you take before you drop?"

Rynn blinked. "It's been awhile but I'd say not a lot..." She continued walking through the water.

The raven-haired beauty chuckled and followed after her. "My record back at Go University was twenty-one vodka shots. God, was my hangover ever brutal the next day. I slept for two whole days before I finally recovered."

"I never really thought of you as the partying type," Rynn said, reaching their spot and drying herself off with a beach towel.

Shego hung her own towel around her neck and crossed her arms in front of her chest, tilting her hips ever so slightly. "I live to party princess."

The elf sniffed. "Uh, you hungry by any chance?"

"Nah, I'll catch up with you later, 'umkay?" Shego ruffled her silver hair before sauntering off toward the resort to change out of her bikini.

Rynn opted on hotdogs and ordered at a food-stand near the boardwalk. She parked herself on a deserted bench and began to eat. But she didn't notice the black Cadillac that was parked nearby or the strange figure watching her fixedly from one of its tinted windows.

It was a few minutes after 7PM when they arrived at the party. The beach was swarming with adolescents—with most occupied with the band on the center stage while others were chatting and drinking shooters amongst themselves, not a care in the world.

Rynn was feeling nervous. Mainly because Shego was holding her hand as they worked their way through the horde of vigorous teens to get a spot close to the stage. The thief led her over to a vacant table and sat down, gesturing for Rynn to sit next to her.

"What would you like to drink princess?" Shego asked after the elf had settled down in her seat.

"A Bloody Mary," Rynn responded without thinking. The villainess grinned and waved down a handsome blonde youth who was leaning against the stage and watching the pair with hopeful eyes.

He hurried over to the elegant thief. "Hello beautiful," he greeted. "How may I be of service?"

Rynn could tell the kid was hinting. But Shego composedly disregarded the bait.

"Can you get me two Bloody Marys?"

"Do I get something out of it?"

"Hmm...Let's see...I'll permit you to take a body shot off me. Good enough for ya?"

Rynn frowned, jealousy building up inside her. _She can't be actually flirting with this pansy._

The teen winked at Shego, not perceiving her date's twitch. "Sounds hot. I'll be right back babe." He headed for the drink bar enthusiastically. The elf crossed her arms and stared at the ground.

"Don't worry princess. I'll let you have a shot too if you feel left out."

"Urm..."

He returned with Shego's request and placed the two glasses on the table. "Now as promised," he said. The raven-haired beauty took the shot tube filled with vodka he proffered and popped off the cap. Slowly, as if to tease him, she unzipped the green hoody she was wearing. Then she stuck the plastic tube in the front of her low-riding tank-top, explicitly between her breasts.

The teen let out a low wolf-whistle and handed her a lemon slice. She put it in her mouth and waited, looking at him with her emerald-green eyes.

_I can't stand this_, Rynn thought. Standing up abruptly, she pushed him out of the way and gazed profoundly at the stunned ex-hero.

"Hey!" he protested.

"Shut up and scram."

"But—" Rynn gave him a dark look. "Bye!"

He bolted through the crowd and disappeared.

"What was _that_ all about?" Shego queried, taking the slice of fruit from her mouth.

"I didn't like the way he was looking at you," explained Rynn quietly.

The thief paused momentarily, chuckled, and then stuck the lemon wedge back into her mouth. She advanced on the younger woman purposely.

With her heart pounding like drums, Rynn leaned in close to the thief's chest and took the tube, throwing her head back and draining it. The vodka slid down her throat and splendidly warmed her stomach. It felt good.

"Here goes nothin'," she mumbled, holding her breath with her gaze fixed on the piece of fruit sticking out of the raven-haired beauty's mouth.

Their lips brushed lightly when she sunk her teeth into it and she had an impulsive desire to kiss Shego. And finding it rather difficult to do so, Rynn withdrew with the wedge, face flushed.

She resignedly wiped the lemon juice from her chin and dropped back into her chair.

Shego's voice was soft and somewhat amorous when she spoke. "You can't tell me you're satisfied with just that..." She knelt next to the elf until their faces were level.

"I-I never said I was."

Rynn closed her eyes and swallowed as the thief lifted her chin with gentle fingers. Shego determinedly inched toward her lips, breathing evenly.

Gunshots rang out. People screamed and the crowd dispersed. Frightened teens ran down the beach, tripping over one another in panic.

Shego stood up in a flash. "What the hell was that?" she yelled over the loud upheaval. More artillery fire, this time near the stage. The elf blinked rapidly, unable to see very well in the dim light of the evening.

"Maybe a drug deal gone bad?"

"I don't think—"

"_Where's Rynn Rosehart?_" an amplified female voice demanded, "_If you don't show yourself, we'll kill all these innocent bystanders without a hint of remorse!_"

Shego gaped at Rynn, her face ashen. "It's you their after and now I think I know why. Betty told me that the amulet was stolen—"

"Why is it so important?" Rynn interrupted, "What do these creeps want with me?"

"I don't know but let's not stick around to find out. We need to get our stuff from the resort," the thief replied placidly.

"Okay."

"Take my hand...We can't get separated."

The silver-haired woman complied and slipped her hand into Shego's.

"Hold it right there ladies!"

They made a run for it but a cloaked figure appeared in front of the fleeing duo, cutting them off and drawing what appeared to be a katana. The character brandished the sword at Shego ominously.

"Surrender her," it growled.

Shego ignited her plasma and held her fighting stance. "Over my dead body."

Rynn clutched the thief's arm and tugged. "Please..." she pleaded, "I don't want you to get hurt."

"There's a very slim chance of that princess. Stand back and let me deal with this guy. And if things go bad, I want to you to run away from here as fast as you can, okay?"

The elf stepped back when the anonymous figure took a swing at her, missing her by a hair. Shego threw a round-house kick and stunned her foe. This gave her enough momentum for another quick subsequent attack.

But the figure swung again and made its mark on the raven-haired beauty. The blade sliced her arm forearm open to the bone. Blood streamed down her injured arm and dripped onto the sand.

"Shego!" Rynn cried, gaping in shock.

One more figure advanced and closed in on the elf's fearless protector. _I have to help her,_ she thought. Unsheathing a concealed hunting knife from inside her boot, she threw it at the nearest assailant. It hit the shrouded figure in the chest and it toppled over, dead. Shego found her body powerless to move when the fallen figure's partner aimed a handgun at the younger woman. The pain in her arm was so overbearing that her vision blurred and became fuzzy.

"Rynn...look out!" she managed to gasp.

_BANG! _The elf crumpled to the ground and lay unmoving where she had fallen. Shego clutched her arm and dropped to her knees, too weak to set alight her powers and defend herself from the shooter.

She sensed someone step before her and glanced up insipidly. A tall man wearing a navy blue jacket and a mask stood facing the armed figure valiantly, both his hands held behind his back. The vengeful figure reached for the trigger but the masked man was too fast. Within mere seconds, it lay to rest with its partner.

The thief's unknown defender holstered his duel pistols and turned to her.

"You alright?" he asked serenely, voice muffled by the mask.

"Yeah, but Rynn..." She went to the unconscious woman's side. Shego carefully lifted her head and applied pressure to her wound with a bloody, trembling hand.

"Stay with me princess..." she whispered.

"Are you able to carry her or shall I?" the masked man asked, "My car's just over in that parking lot."

The villainess nodded. "Yes, you take her. I'm afraid I'm too unstable at the moment...Thanks," she added gratefully.

He picked Rynn up in his arms with Shego following close behind and carried her to a yellow Chevy Camaro—undoubtedly his— and opened the shotgun door. He placed her in the back seat with a little difficulty. The ebony-haired woman squeezed through the small compartment alongside Rynn as the car rumbled to life and the tires squealed against the pavement.

Shego cradled Rynn's inert form to her body and cast one last look at the mysterious man in the rear-view mirror before blacking out.

Shego awoke with a splitting headache. Her body felt numb and weak. She shut her eyes to help cease the vertigo, massaging her temples.

"You're looking much better."

The thief reopened her eyes to see a pale, handsome man with carefully spiked black hair smiling kindly at her. He was sitting on a single bed next to hers and was wiping Rynn's face gently with a cloth. She appeared to be sleeping, bundled up in a layer of blankets on the bed.

"How is she?"

"Fine now. Her fever went down early this morning." He went over to the villainess' bedside and seated himself on the edge. "May I see your arm?" Shego saw that her wounded arm was swathe in bandages.

"I, uh, stitched it up for you," he pointed out timorously in his thick British accent.

Their eyes met and she noticed that his was a striking blue. Inadvertently, her cheeks turned a darker green—her unique version of a blush.

"Well it looks like I did an exceptional job. It doesn't appear to be bleeding anymore." The ebony-haired man grinned widely.

"Who are you?" Shego paused, studying him closely, "Wait, you're that musician guy from England aren't you?"

"Yes. I'm Shay Uchiha. It's a pleasure to meet you—"

"Shego. It's my alias name," the thief replied, not knowing why she added the last part.

"And who's the other woman?"

"Rynn." The mentioned female stirred a bit in her slumber.

"That was a very bold move she made last night to protect you," Shay commented admiringly, glancing at Rynn.

Shego smiled. "I would have done the same for her." She sat up too fast and was hit with a nauseating wave of dizziness.

"Try not to move too quickly. The painkillers I gave you may make you a little..._woozy_ shall we say."

"Thanks for the tip," the ex-hero said sarcastically, her stomach feeling unsettled. "Help me over to her would ya?"

Shay put Shego's good arm around his neck and wrapped one of his arms securely around her mid-section to hold her upright.

"I'm thinking you purposely drugged me up..." She leaned most of her weight against him.

"And why would I do that?" Shay wondered, raising an eyebrow.

"Think about it."

Shay flushed bright red and almost tripped over the bedroom rug. "You're not suggesting that I would take advantage of two injured and defenceless women..."

Shego snorted and lay next to Rynn on top of the blankets. "I know a lot of men that wouldn't think twice," she told him flatly.

He scowled. "Don't make such a serious judgement about someone you just met. And did you forget that I saved both you and your friend?"

"Doy. I'm just pulling your leg."

He strode back across the room and paused at the doorway. "I'll be downstairs preparing breakfast. Call if you require any assistance." With that, he left, leaving the two women alone.

"S...Sh...Shego…"

The plasma-wielding villainess gazed at the elf and affectionately caressed one of her cheeks.

"I'm right here princess. Open your eyes."

Rynn whimpered softly, moving under the blankets. The raven-haired beauty sighed and brushed a lock of silver hair from the younger woman's face.

"Maybe this'll work," she said under her breath, cupping Rynn's face in her hands and kissing her fully on the lips.

Rynn's eyes immediately shot open. "_Mmm!_"

The pale-green thief receded with a euphoric smirk. "I'm a miracle worker," she proclaimed.

"You didn't have to stop," the elf said shyly, blushing. She leaned in and pressed her lips tenderly to Shego's. Her stomach was doing flips. _She's as good a kisser as I thought she'd be._ Rynn ran her fingers through the thief's ebony hair and allowed herself to be taken away by the moment.

After a minute, Shego turned her head to the side and Rynn stopped.

"What's wrong?"

"We're a little in over our heads here princess."

"…You mean you don't like me?"

Shego shook her head. "No, no. Of course I like you Rynn. I'm just...just..."

Rynn looked into her emerald-green eyes, apprehensive. "Afraid?"

The raven-haired beauty sighed deeply. "Do you really want to be here with me right now?" she asked solemnly.

"Yes," the elf breathed, heart racing, "And I want to be yours..."

Shego rested her forehead against Rynn's and closed her eyes. "Are you sure?"

"Positive."

Shego chose her next words carefully, knowing that she was making a vital decision. "Okay then princess," the villainess avowed, "You're mine." She captured Rynn's lips once more and pulled her closer.

Shay was flipping pancakes when they came downstairs. The whole kitchen smelled great to Rynn and her empty stomach growled in protest.

"Hello ladies. Care for some breakfast?" Shay flashed Shego a dazzling smile, making the thief roll her eyes.

"Have any coffee pretty boy?" Shego sat down at the table and folded her hands behind her head.

"Yeah, help yourself."

Rynn went over and hugged the blue-eyed man tightly. He glanced at the thief who gave him an approving nod. Shay smiled and enveloped the elf in his arms.

"Thank you for saving us. I'm so grateful." She stood on her tip-toes and placed a kiss on his cheek.

"Umm, you're welcome...So how's your—"

"Much better. It doesn't even hurt at all!" Rynn patted a hand over the healing bullet wound on her side, beaming. "And I like your accent by the way."

Shay flushed pink. "Thanks, uh…"

"The pancakes are burning," Shego pointed out, indifferently looking at her nails.

"Dammit!" Shay seized the frying pan and threw it out the kitchen window. "_Sooo_...Who's up for some bacon and eggs instead?" He scratched his head and sweat-dropped. "Heh heh."

The green thief snorted and got up to brew coffee. "Men can't cook to save their lives."

"What's with the sexist remarks?" Shay shot back, glowering.

"They're sexist _jokes_. There's a distinction pretty boy."

"Same shit, different pile—"

"Hey! How about a group hug...eh?" Rynn suggested anxiously, struggling to pull an innocent smile.

Shego raised an eyebrow at her and crossed her arms. "Or we can not and say we did."

"Aww! Dun be mean Shego!" The elf glomped the villainess.

"If you were anyone else I'd fry your pants for this but, coming from you I like it," the thief declared, embracing her new lover and smirking at the blinking musician.

"You two are...an _item_?"

"Uh-yuh, pretty boy. I find Rynn to be much prettier than you," she teased.

Rynn giggled. Shego poured coffee into a mug, added cream and sugar, and then took a sip. "Hm, not bad at all."

"I like tea. Coffee is too bland," Rynn commented, helping herself to a piece of buttered toast when Shay offered. The couple began an immense debate about which caffeinated beverage was more appealing while Shay fried up bacon and eggs.

He was setting their plates when Shego came to the conclusion that Rynn was right and she was wrong. "Only because you have a sensible theory in the matter," she explained, already drinking her second coffee.

Rynn stuck out her tongue at the thief. "You don't like to admit you're wrong do you?"

"Psh, whatever gave you that idea?"

"I love your sarcasm."

"I love your cute, pointed ears." Shego flashed her an impressive smile and winked. The elf blushed deeply.

_Not a word...Not a word, _Shay told himself, shaking his head and stuffing bacon into his mouth.

Twenty minutes later…

Rynn had devoured all her food and asked for seconds. Shay shrugged and refilled her plate. He decided to converse with his guests—he had questions for them about last night's violent events.

"Why were those guys trying to kill you?"

Shego stopped chewing and exchanged glances with her lover. "They thought she had something she doesn't."

"What doesn't Rynn have?" he queried.

"That's classified."

"Well I guess it is none of my business."

"Shego and I think that they're after this family heirloom I handed over to Global Justice."

"Maybe it holds some kind of mystical powers. Like black magic or something."

"I'm beginning to believe that too actually," said Shego, "They're willing to kill to get their hands on it."

Rynn bit her lip. "Maybe there's something I'm forgetting here..."

The raven-haired beauty punched in a number on her Blackberry. "It's about time we got to the bottom of this," she stated.

Betty Director flashed onto the screen. "I knew I was going to hear from you again Shego. What do you want to know?"

"Everything. And this time, add the details you failed to mention," Shego retorted, mildly annoyed with the agent. Shay and Rynn were curiously peering over her shoulder at Betty.

"Alright..." the russet-haired woman sighed. "The amulet Ms. Rosehart kindly gave to us possesses a very dark and dangerous power. The holder of this amethyst amulet can bring out their dark side—their alter ego, more or less—and split that dark half into another being," she explained austerely, "The dangerous part, however, is that the iniquity half gets ravenous for complete power and control. It can become whole again only if the good half amalgamates with it. Only then the stronger half will have full influence over the body."

"What exactly are you getting at?" demanded Rynn.

"I sincerely hoped it would never have to come to this but I must inform you: You have inadvertently been separated from your dark half. And as unsettling as this sounds, it's trying to find you and become one again."

"_What?_" the trio exclaimed in unison.

"But it does have a weakness," the Director went on.

"Which is?" Shego urged impulsively.

The one-eyed woman smiled, enjoying the dramatics she was creating. "Whatever affects the good half affects the dark half as well."

"How's that really a 'good' thing?" Rynn alleged, exasperated. "If something happens to my other half—like it dies for instance—then I die too?"

Betty shook her head. "Not quite. That dark half needs _you_ to survive. The longer you're separated, the weaker it gets. And that is when you move in and overpower it. It's now or never."

"I'll be here for you princess," Shego assured, kissing the elf's forehead softly. The GJ agent raised an eyebrow.

"You've got a boyfriend _and_ a girlfriend? That's quite alluring." She winked at Shay.

"He isn't my boyfriend, though he probably wishes he was." The raven-haired beauty ruffled his hair playfully and grinned.

"I can't deny that," Shay admitted with a red face.

"Hehe. Best wishes to the pair of you then. Goodbye."

Shego put down her phone and looked from her lover to her future best friend. "So are we in this together?" Rynn placed her hand on the thief's, smiling fervently.

"Definitely."

Shay nodded and draped his arms around both their shoulders. "From here on out, we'll stick together and win this fight."

_**To be continued…**_

_**Author's notes: I found that this chapter was unproblematic to write (thank goodness). I hope the Rynn and Shego kiss scene was sufficient enough for ya! I wanted to make it idealistic and romantic. Well, anyways, I anticipate that you will enjoy this chapter as much as I did. Also, kudos to Liz for her influence on this story. Her feedback was a huge pat on the back. Thanks Liz!**_

_**Next chapter: Nessa makes an appearance and can our trio defeat Rynn's dark half and restore peace?**_


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